(a)    (1)    A majority of the members then serving on the Hearing Board is a quorum.

(2)    A majority of the authorized membership of the Hearing Board is needed to take action.

(b)    The Hearing Board shall meet at least once each month.

(c)    (1)    The compensation of the Hearing Board members for the performance of their duties shall be the amount set by the County Council.

(2)    The compensation for members of the Board of License Commissioners for the performance of their duties shall be:

(i)    for the chair, $55 per meeting attended, not to exceed $1,300 in a fiscal year regardless of the number of meetings attended; and

(ii)    for each other member of the Board of License Commissioners, $50 per meeting attended, not to exceed $1,200 in a fiscal year regardless of the number of meetings attended.

(d)    (1)    Personnel needed to carry out the duties of the Hearing Board and the Board of License Commissioners shall be:

(i)    included in the staff of the County Council; and

(ii)    supervised by the County Council Administrator.

(2)    The Chief of the County Police Department shall provide a sworn member of the County Police Department as an inspector to assist the Hearing Board and the Board of License Commissioners in carrying out their responsibilities and in enforcing the law.

(3)    An employee of the Hearing Board or the Board of License Commissioners is subject to the public ethics laws of the county.

(e)    (1)    The Hearing Board and the Board of License Commissioners shall submit an annual budget request to the County Council not later than January 15 in each year for the ensuing fiscal year.

(2)    The budget request shall include:

(i)    salaries for the Hearing Board chair and other Hearing Board members;

(ii)    compensation of personnel assigned to the Hearing Board; and

(iii)    expenses for office supplies, equipment, and services to carry out the responsibilities of the Hearing Board.

(3)    (i)    The County Council shall:

1.    review the budget request; and

2.    submit a budget for the Hearing Board and the Board of License Commissioners to the County Executive in the amount that the County Council determines is adequate to support the duties and responsibilities of the Hearing Board and the Board of License Commissioners.

(ii)    The County Executive shall include the budget for the Hearing Board and the Board of License Commissioners as submitted by the County Council in the county budget that is prepared in accordance with Article VI of the Howard County Charter.